West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1887-09-15


reached the lower ground they came
upon their wounded comrades. who. too
badly hurt 10 go ON To the rear, had vet
with untold agony drarqed themselves
back from the fire swept ground In front.
and SO got partial shelter Along tho
route these wretched sufferers Law thickly
Here one with an arm half torn off; there
foot dangling; here poor fellow shot
through the body, his death question
not OF hours, but Of minutes: and so ON.
IN slckenlng continuance. And all want
ing water There had been none all day
ana tho retrcating soldiers were march.
ing with lips and tongues blackened
ana swollen and cracked with thirst until
many could utter no articulate sound.
Boys, you won't go and leave lis
here 2"
For Gods sake, water water!n
Boys are you going on the retreat,
and leave us behind9n
You ought to hold the ground, BOYS.
tlll they take care of u.s."
hcfe2"
Pitiful, pitiful appeals And all In
vain. Not a canteen of water in the
whole command. Not an ambulance
within miles. Nothing but victorious
foe behind, an unknown way in front.
and the blackness of night over ALI
Pltiful, pitiful. Harder TO facd-thdse
reproaches than all of Bragg's artillery.
All! here is punishment Not only to
leave the field to the enemy, but to
abandon torn and bleeding brothers.
also,
SO thought the captain, riding in rear
OF his little worn command. Presently
he heard well-known voice at the road
side, and pulled up his horse.
Good heavens, Major You here, and
hurtP cried the Captain, as he came
close to PROSTATE figure at the road
side.
"Yes, Milney, I'm here. For Gods
sake get me drink of waterg' replied
the sufferer. And then went on eagerly
Is it a retreat, Captain! Have we lost il
alii Where are the ambulances and the
hospital trains! Are all these poor
fellows to be left to the enemyl Why.
they can't take care of their own in this
wilderness, let alone ours IL is cruel-it
is horrible. Get me drink, captain
get me drink That is all 1 shall ever
want. ] shall not get away from here"
Captain Milney dismounted. He had
a few precious drops Of water in his can
teen-hoarded for hours against his own
thirst Ills friend, Major Galton. he
found was shot in the brcast-how badly
could not be told. He was quickly re.
licved 80 far a. half dozen swallows of
the life giving water could do il.
God bless you, Milneym he cried
you've done me the last service I
shall receive in life. God bless you, my
friend And now go on. You can't
help these poor fellows here, know
you cant help me any further. Go on
with your regiment and leave us. But
here, Milney, take this letter, and when
you are back in Gods Ohio country give
it TO Nina Clark, and tell her that her
promise made man of me when was
nigh desperation and despair. Tell her.
l say God bless her for TT"
''Mina Clark I" exclaimed Captain
Milney, starting back. "Mina Clark
is there no mistakel thought it was
--"
'No-no-AIina Clark. can't tell
you now, Milney. I'm growing weak
Good bye, Milney- good byew
If any inward trouble showed itself in
the Captains face none could see it in
the gloom. He was silent but an in
slant, and then SAID slowly and firmly.
but in greatly altered voice:
Major Galton, am going 10 put YOU
on my horse and forward you TO Chat
tauooga You shall be your own mes
senger to Nina Clark. You have some
thing to live for, and you will live I
While lit does not natter
Had the Major known that Captain
Il 4
hurt in the foot, not dangerous, but
disabling-his protests might have been
vigorous, but they would not have
swerved the Captain. AS il was, the un-
expected urn seemed to give the Major
new lease OF life. In an instance he
had resolved TO live-he who moment
before had hidden his friend goodbye
forever. Astride the Captains horse he
seemed to get out another lease Of life.
and all this stood him in good stead.
The troops, tired and dispirited as .hey
were, moved rapidly on the road and
the Majors horse kept pace with them.
Long before the night was gone Major
GaltOn was safe in an ambulance and up
the way to Chattanooga with not a
thought Of anything but rest and sleep.
And Captain Milneyl Why. the cap
tain Jared badly. He had already been
too much about on his injured foot and
IL was swollen and stiff. lie started to
hobble after his men, but il was 20 hard
that in half an hour he gave it ND and
lay down by the roadside, a mile or two
behind the rearmOst Of the retreatinO sol.
diers 10 seemed almost as II Major Gal
toms new life and spirit bad been abb
stracted from the Captains store. leaving
the latter ambitiOnless and dospairinQ.
81 am whipped !" he said to himself,
as he lay down and gave mp to weariness
and pain ] am whipped; but not by
the enemy back there. No; a woman
did IT,"
At tdaylight next morning Captain Mil
neJ was a wounded prisoner Of war.
BOUND for some Southern military prison.
'Nim whipped" " he said, as on the night
before, and prepared as we'll as he could
10 take 10 philosophically
Seven or eight months afterweid the
Captain awOke one morning from the de
lrium Of long fever lie was in hos
pital near Washington. when he first
became conscious things about him
looked almost as strange as the fantastic
visions of that dream haunted fever land
from which he had just emerged. All
thing strange, except-ahi except the
female figure at the side Of his cot. That
was familiar enough 10 was Nina Clark
She WIS reading, aud he had been look
ing at her and wondering dreamilv for
some time before she turned her head
s.H II ...H i.